----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
JULES
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
The entire class cheered, and some students jumped up and down. Only Jules and Cyrus maintained their composure. Isolda glanced at them, then continued.
“The Navigators and Navy arrived before dawn, so we probably won’t be able to see the Shrine. We certainly won’t be able to see it up close, so rid yourself of that hope. But my sources say they’ve declared a safe zone of a hundred yards, so let’s head out.” All the students marched through the door, except Jules and Cyrus. “Ah, it’s quite unlike you two Scholars to sit back so calmly on such an adventurous day.”
“We’ve got our minds on a few other…problems,” Jules said.
“Surely you can put them aside for our field trip. I'm leaving town again soon, and you won’t have my classes again for a while. I know they’re your favorite, Cy.”
“Of course,” Cyrus said. “I never know what’s in store. You and your lessons always keep me guessing. That’s for certain.”
“Ah, Jules.” Isolda grinned. “Did you have time to read those books after last night's…excitement?” That was bold.
"Nerds." Cyrus feigned disinterest, took a few steps away, and pretended not to listen.
“No, I didn’t read them,” Jules said. “Like you said, there was quite a lot of excitement yesterday.”
“Ah, that’s a shame, because I think there’s one you’ll especially like.” That look—Does she know I'm lying? She slung a few more satchels around her shoulder and asked, “Would you mind grabbing that bag for me?” Jules looked down at the two bags.
“Sure, which one?” Isolda hesitated for a second, without eye contact, then studied Jules through narrowed blue eyes. Now that's a suspicious look.
“The one to your left,” she said flatly. First her demeanor, now even her tone shifted. What just happened?
Jules handed his teacher the bag. She exited the classroom and left the other bag on the desk. Isolda took the lead of her students again and, at the same time, separated herself from Jules and Cyrus. His heart raced, and Jules felt a tinge of fear through the confusion. Need to be more careful and take a different approach. She’s on edge for some reason. The class departed the schoolhouse for the hour-long journey to the Shrine. Jules and Cyrus kept to the far back of the group.
“Cy, I don’t know what to do, what to say. She got so aggressive all of a sudden.”
Cyrus looked back over his shoulder toward the school. “What did you mean back there?”
“What?”
“There was only one bag.”
“No, there were two. That one,” Jules pointed to Isolda, “and another one. It was enormous, Cy…”
Cyrus studied Isolda in silence. “No, Jules, there weren't two. She’s playing some game. With you, with us, I don’t know. But I know there was not another bag. We need to tread carefully here.”
During the long journey to the Shrine, Jules ruminated over a new plan of approach. Eventually, they approached a clearing at the base of the forest hills, where officials of the Island Elder’s office directed traffic up to the Shrine. Hundreds of villagers made the pilgrimage alongside them. They weaved through the forest and eventually connected to the newly formed stream, courtesy of the Shrine. I’ll be damned. Even Hal is here. Now no one is really working today.
They rounded a bend in the growing brook, where two Hydromages stopped everyone from getting any closer. Jules noticed Isolda glaring at the Soldiers. Now she’s looking around for more, surveying the forest. He nudged Cyrus and whispered, “Looks like she’s counting Soldiers. Should do the same.” Jules lost track somewhere in the forties, and there were still plenty more beyond that.
“It’s like an entire army showed up at this Shrine,” Cyrus said loudly enough that Isolda could hear it. Yeah, and it’s making me extremely nervous. And seriously, don't become an Actor. Jules thought Isolda gave Cyrus' comment the slightest smile.
“Ah, here we are class, the Shrine of Coralhaven!” She gestured somewhere off into the distance, since hills and the ravine blocked it. Her eyes rested on Jules. Yeah, not falling for this trap.
“Um, actually, ma’am, it’s over this way,” said one of the Hydromages. He pointed to the opposite side. Isolda smiled and shrugged to her class with a giggle, but she never took her eyes off of Jules.
“Ah, any who, the last Shrine to show up in Coralith was Siren’s Cove, and that was five whole years ago. Of course, it has still yet to be captured, which leaves quite a handful in Coralith—and specifically here in the Shattered Isles—to be plundered for untold treasures.”
“Why do Shrines appear?” asked a student. Isolda coughed.
“Ah, no one knows the answer to the question you’re really asking; however, we know that after someone captures a Shrine, another one springs up elsewhere. Sometimes even two or more! So Shrines are always growing in number, never shrinking.”
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"How many is that now?" one of the Aidyns asked.
"Three plus one is four, you moron," Cyrus said. "Seriously, how don't you know that?"
“So does that mean somebody captured one yesterday?” a student asked. Isolda’s eyes flashed with excitement.
“I’m absolutely positive that they did.” Seems oddly aroused about that. “Ah, well, what other questions do you have?”
“What are the rules for this one?” Jules asked.
> [The Shrine of Coralhaven — Quest Objective ADDED: Find out the Shrine's rules.]
“Excellent question,” Isolda said. “But I’m certain that the Navy will prevent us from finding out anytime soon. Siren’s Cove was a nightmare at first, children, so take heed.” I feel like she’s talking directly to me. She even said the word nightmare. “Brave fools from all over ran to the Siren’s call of that Shrine. Fitting, isn’t it? Had the Navy released the Shrine’s rules sooner, a lot fewer people would have died meaninglessly. But I heard the undertaker’s done well there, so I suppose it’s good for taxes.”
The Hydromage grunted a warning. Isolda fielded a handful more questions about Shrines, and Jules spaced out as he thought of a plan. Isolda’s acting much more boldly than normal. When there were no more questions, Isolda stepped away to ask the Hydromages if the class could get closer.
“Ha! After that speech?”
"What? I'm teaching my students to be dubious of a government who uses force to…" He and Isolda went back and forth for a bit.
Jules felt that lump in his throat. Chest isn’t burning, so that’s a good sign. Especially this close to the Shrine. I think the longer I wait, the smaller my window gets. Better just corner her now. He looked back at the forest to spot his father. Suppose it's a good sign that I can't find him.
Jules walked behind Isolda and the Hydromage. When she finally gave up her pleading and accepted defeat, Jules pulled her aside from everyone. “So what was in that big bag back at school, more boring volumes by Snelliott? Or perhaps something more dubious, as you put it.” Isolda paused.
“Rations for my trip.” She relaxed her posture. “So you did read my books.”
“No, I just read one, and I was curious, why give me that one?”
“You chose here to talk about our little book club? With so many more titillating—and dangerous—things about?” She gestured around the forest. Dangerous, huh? But maybe she’s just pointing out the military. “If we don’t pay attention to our surroundings, something could come sneaking up on us.”
“With such an observant teacher, I’d be surprised if that happened. The way I figure it,” Jules looked around their surroundings sarcastically, dramatically, “if anything was lurking, it’d already be upon me. Well, us.”
“It’s certainly a poor place for traps—from the Shrine monsters, of course.” She smiled wryly and glanced at the military. “Eyes are everywhere.”
“Of course, you’re right. Surely they wouldn’t hesitate to kill any beasts around this Shrine.”
“I see my efforts to brainwash my star pupil have failed. For when I look about, all I see are beasts. Tell me, Jules. You wouldn’t have read The Inked Arts last night, would you? No, I’m sure your focus was enthralled by another volume.” There’s the opening.
“Naturally. I actually tried to find a safe place to read it.”
“Ah, yes, I see.” She escorted Jules back to the class and stopped within Cyrus’ earshot. “You''ll find that the author of The Inked Arts provides such a safe place, as you called it, for all his practitioners.”
Understood.
“I see. We—Cy and I—went to the Scholars Guild yesterday to put in our applications. We spoke with the, uh, what do they call them again? Recruiters?” Isolda nodded knowingly. So…are you recruiting us for this author? “Well, it’s always good to have a Plan B. So tell me, what this author expects of his…recruits?”
“Ah, you must mean his students. He expects a great many things from them, I’m afraid. But for you…” Isolda placed her hand on his shoulder. They turned to face each other. “He’ll want to know which of the two you are…”
Jules’ heart raced; he was frozen. His palms broke into sweat. Virtue—or Sin.
“Remind me, what are the two types again?” Isolda removed her hand from his shoulder and smiled pleasantly, once again her usual, unassuming self.
“If you are a Scholar, or a scholar, of course!”
“Hmm. And what exactly is the difference?”
“Yes. What is the difference, indeed?” Bells clanged again from the city square. Isolda tensed up again for a second, but returned to her pleasant demeanor. Or is this her pleasant guise? “Ah, Jules, it seems my vacation has started prematurely. You have your next assignment. I think it might be the last one I give you. It seems you have a new teacher on your horizon. Happy hunting.”
She hurried back to the group.
> [Hot for Teacher — Quest Objective COMPLETED: Execute Liam's plan.]
>
> [Hot for Teacher — Quest Objective COMPLETED: Extract information from Isolda.]
>
> [Hot for Teacher — Quest Objective ADDED: Find out who Isolda wants you to meet.]
>
> [Hot for Teacher — Quest Objective ADDED: Find out what Isolda knows about you.]
“I’m afraid it seems that my dingy has arrived," Isolda told her students.
“You’re traveling with the Navs?” a student asked, referring to the chimes of the bell's message.
“Sweet Salvos, no. I would never. Though it's a meager dingy, I always travel in greater style than the Navs. It should have arrived with them, though. Goodbye class, I will see you all soon.” She walked away but stopped at Jules and Cyrus. “And to you two, farewell.” Then she hurried off back toward town.
Cyrus stared at Jules intently. He was ready to act immediately. Jules stretched out his arms high into the sky and yawned. Cyrus relaxed. Hopefully, Dad saw the message, too. Jules quickly recapped his conversation with Isolda to Cyrus.
“She’s trying to recruit me. She claims it’s safe,” Jules said in final summary.
“Who the hell is she?” Cyrus asked.
“I don’t know, man.” The two of them watched Isolda shuffle down the hill until she was out of sight. Right about now, I wish Dad wasn't so good at hiding.
They stayed around the scene for a while longer. Each group of people gathered intuitively knew that they outnumbered the Hydromages guarding the perimeter by a long shot, so one group moved closer, then another, and then another, and so on, until the first group pressed closer again. Finally, Jules and Cyrus glimpsed the Shrine for a second time.
"Jules, does that look different than last—er, different than you'd expect?" Yes, it does.
"The veil isn't shimmering anymore." Someone's inside. That means someone's either going to capture it, or…
The deep, low blast of a scout's horn chilled the morning air. Everyone turned toward the blaring sound—quickly, in anticipation.
No! Did they capture it already!?
"AAGGHH!"
Two men shrieked as they flew through the air overhead the crowd. Their bodies slammed into tree trunks and collapsed to the ground. Someone nearby screamed a primal cry that froze Jules in place.
******* ****** ***** **** *** ** * ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
15
BONUS CONTENT BELOW
******* ****** ***** **** *** ** * ** *** **** ***** ****** *******